Wick-trimmer



(No Model.)

J. W. LAWSON.

WIGK TRIMMER.

Patented Jan 2, 1894.

A UN KTE STATES Parent WlCK-TRIMMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 511,902, dated January 2, 1894.

Application filed March 20, l 893.

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN WALTON LAwsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing in San Bern ardino county, near Pomona, Los An geles county, in the State of California, have invented a new and useful Nick-Trimmer, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of wick trimmers which consist of a tubular shield or case adapted to be placed over the wickcontaining tube of a lamp burner.

The object of my invention is to produce a cheaper, simpler and more practical device of this kind than has heretofore been produced.

lily invention comprises a wick trimmer guide of sheet metal or othersuitable flexible material folded vertically to fit the outside of the wick tube of the lamp burner for which it is adapted, and having its edges free and uuunited throughout so that its sides can be pressed toward each other thus to grip the wick and hold it while it is being cut. The sheet which forms the guide may be folded so that its vertical edges will overlap each other on one side of the guide, or the guide may be made U shaped in cross section; the ob ect being to provide in the simplest and cheapest form, a suitable clamp for the sides of thewick,which can be conveniently pressed together to clamp the wick and hold it in place against the thrust of the shears, and at the same time serve as a guide for the shears used in trimming the wick. The guide may be made either with or without an inclosing cap to protect a portion of the top of the wick to prevent it from being trimmed while the corners are being rounded.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred form of my improved lamp wick trimmer applied in position upon the lamp burner and showing the wick trimmed in the proper shape. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of such trimmer on line ac-x Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the trimmer looking down on the top of the trimmer shown in Fig. 1. Fig. tis a view of another form of the trimmer ready to be applied to the wick tube of the lamp. In this form of the trimmer the edges of the sheet which forms the guide are lapped together, but slightly at the middle of one side instead of the broad lapping shown in Fig. 1. Fig.

5 shows the tube provided with a suitable flap fierial No.466,809. (No model.)

adapted to cover the intermediate portion of the wick end to prevent trimming the middle of the wick-end and is designed to simply trim the corners of the wick. Fig. 6 showsa form of the guide designed to be used upon the wicks of lamps having annular wick tubes and in which the top of the wick must be at right angles with the body of the wick. This is used by first withdrawing the wick far enough from the tube to allow the wick tobe doubled upon itself and then the guide is applied and the wick firmly clamped thereby to keep it from turning out of shape under pressure of the blades of the scissors employed in trimming the wick. In this form the wick trimmer is open at one edge. A fragment of the wick is also shown doubled ready to be clasped in the guide. Fig. 7 shows the trimmer guide open at one edge but is adapted to trim the wick at both edges.

A A, &c., indicate the several forms of wick trimmer guides.

at indicates the rounded end thereof which is of the shape desired for the end of the wick.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, b and b are the loose edges of the sheet which forms the trimmer. In practice, in using this form of the trimmer the appliance is placed over thewick tube indicated by dotted line at c, Fig. l, and the wick O is turned up until its end is at the top of the trimmer guide A. The sides of the guide are then compressed by the thumb and finger of the operator thus clamping the wick firmly and preventing the fibers thereof from slipping and sliding from under the pressure of the blades of the scissors or shears used in trimming the wick. Then the wick is trimmed by suitable scissors or shears; the wick is then run down, the guide removed and the process is complete.

The process of using the several forms shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is practically the same except that in the form shown in Fig. 5 only the corners of the wick can be trimmed as the flap f protects the intermediate portion of the end of the wick.

In using the formshown in Fig. 6 the wick G is withdrawn sufficiently from the annular tube of the lamp burner to allow the end of the wick to be folded as indicated. Then the wick is placed in the trimmer which is grasped between the thumb and finger of the operator zontally,

and thus firmly held against while being trimmed.

The form shown in Fig. 7 is used in sub- ;tantially the same manner as that shown in No claim is made broadly to a lamp-trimmer device arranged to slip over the wick tube and provided with a slitted portion for grasping the Wick, for such devices are old and well-known.

My invention is to be distinguished from lamp-wick trimmers which are folded horiin that with the horizontally folded device an opening must be made in the fold or bend to admit the wick tube, while with mylimprovement such opening is dispensed Wit 1.

Now, having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. A Wick trimmer guide formed of sheet metal orothersuitable flexible material folded vertically to fit the outside of the wick tube displacement of the lamp burner for which it is to be adapted, and having its edges free and ununited throughout.

2. A wick trimmer guide of sheet metal or other suitable flexible material folded to fit the outside of the wick tube of the lamp burner for which it is adapted and having its edges lapped and free and ununited throughout.

3. A wick trimmer guide of sheet metal or other suitable flexible material folded to fit the outside of the wick tube of the lamp burner for which it is adapted and having 1ts edges free and ununited throughout and provided with an inclosing cap arranged to project over a portion of the top of the wick to prevent it from being trimmed while the corners of the wick are being rounded.

JOHN WALTON LAWSON. 

